40-year-old killed stepping in front of a truck while crossing a Kennewick street

Cameron Probert

A Kennewick man died after being hit crossing Olympia Street early Tuesday.

A southbound pickup truck hit Ryan J. Shepard, 40, as he crossed Olympia Street at 14th Avenue shortly after 2:45 a.m., Kennewick police said in a release.

Police and firefighters arrived soon after the collision, and Shepard was taken to a local hospital where he died.

There are no signs that the truck’s driver was speeding or impaired when Shepard stepped into the road, Kennewick Sgt. Chris Littrell said. The driver stayed at the scene to talk with police.

The intersection at the Riverview Heights Cemetery does not have a marked crosswalk.

Investigative paint markings on the pavement outline the site of the early morning fatal collision involving a pedestrian on South Olympia Street at West 14th Avenue in Kennewick. Police say Ryan Shepard, 40, was fatally injured after being struck by a southbound truck when he stepped into the roadway. The driver of the truck remained at the scene and was not impaired, according to the press release.

Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact Kennewick police at 509-585-4208.

This is the second fatal crash at the intersection in four years.

Marin Cesar-Ochoa, 82, was crossing Olympia Street at 6:45 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2019, when he was hit by a station wagon. Police believe a combination of the darkness and rain contributed to him being hit.

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